A High Calling

Pope Leo in his inaugural homily exclaimed, “This is the hour for love!” The picture of this tree in our Narthex signifies that we are in a kairos moment as a church - ready to bloom. The Church reaches its full potential only when WE make it the place where every person is treated as a beloved child of God. Where every walk of life is honored, every visitor is valued, and every relationship is celebrated with equal dignity and joy.

When I imagine the Beloved Community, I envision a place called Good Shepherd, where people treat each other with honesty, respect, and love; where people never have to question whether they belong; where every child sees their family reflected in the life of the church; where every person sees their particular type of body and mind being held up as made in the image of God; and where all people hear the good news that God names them and gives them an important purpose in life.

Theologian Gordon Lathrop says that the most important symbol of Christ in our sanctuary is not the pastor, not the altar, not the font, not even the bread and wine. It is the assembly, the body of Christ. It is all of us together. Let us reach for our high calling of being a beloved community!

with love,

Pr. Chelsea